Cheating Time by T. R. Graves

Author:T. R. Graves
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: romance, family, future, dystopian

Chapter 18

Longevity, Loyalty, and Devotion

Carlie

"N-no biggie. I woke up and saw you weren't using it so I thought I'd try contacting them," I said. My voice was a shaky as my lies and my hands. "I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all," he said, walking toward his desk.

As he studied me, I reached my finger up, tapped on the corner of the three-dimensional, lithographic image, and closed it down, effectively preventing him from reading the messages or contacting either of my parents via Dad's secured route. When the electric blue of my parents' instant messages blurred and disappeared, I felt lonely and lost. Again. I'd just talked to them, but I missed them more than ever.

I backed away from Thorne's desk. He put up his hands and said, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just told you if you'd asked, I'd have let you use the computer. Forgive me for not realizing you needed to contact your parents sooner. You must think I'm a complete shit."

I shook my head. "No. So far, I think you're anything but a complete shit. Rorie loves you too much for me to think too poorly of you."

Thorne looked over his shoulder and toward his sister before saying, "The problem is… she never sees the awful things in anyone… including me. Sometimes, I think the world would be better off if everyone had her blind faith in mankind. Other times, I think the human race would be extinct if we all trusted as unconditionally as she does."

"I wish I were more like her. I could use a little more unconditional trust in my life," I mused.

"It seems to me you have that with Jayden."

I nodded slowly and bit my lip. "We bicker like brothers and sisters, but I trust him with my life. That comes from years of tests, ones you don't even know you're giving they're administered so subconsciously."

Thorne cocked his head to the side. "How do you mean?"

I laughed and it was more self-depreciating than I'd planned. "I don't know how to explain it without sounding more jaded and bitter than a girl my age should."

Thorne leaned on the edge of his desk while waving a hand at his chair, suggesting I sit back down. I did.

"Well… first, there's longevity. He's been with me for more years than I can remember. He's proven time and time again to my family and me that he's willing to stick around. So he's passed the longevity test with flying colors."

Thorne nodded as if he could understand the importance time played in a relationship.

"Then there's loyalty. Jayden's never once betrayed my family. There were opportunities for him to improve his standing under Barone. All he had to do was betray my parents. He's never once considered it."

"And you know this how?" Thorne asked.

I glared at him. "Because loyalty is innate within Jayden. It's as much a part of him as his eye color."

"Loyalty to you, not our president… I assume," Thorne said.

I knew better than to be baited into a discussion about Barone so I ignored what he'd said.

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